Many molecular biology procedures such as in vitro amplification and in vitro hybridization of nucleic acids require some preparation or purification of the nucleic acids to make them effective in the subsequent procedure. Methods of nucleic acid purification have been developed that are non-specific and isolate all nucleic acids present in a sample, or isolate different types of nucleic acids based on physical characteristics, or isolate specific nucleic acids from a sample. Many nucleic acid isolation methods involve complicated procedures or use of harsh chemicals, and require a long time to complete. There remains a need for a simple, efficient, and fast method to separate a nucleic acid of interest from other sample components.